Padang ekspres.net-The Indonesian Ulema Council has proposed a “comprehensive” look at the relationships between Muslims and other religious communities, to counter the escalation in inter-faith conflicts.

The council, known as the MUI, submitted its proposal Wednesday to Vice President Boediono, who “welcomed” the idea and promised to study it further.

MUI deputy chairman for propagation Amrullah Ahmad said after meeting the Vice President that the project, called the National Propagation Map, would provide the government with information on relationships between Muslim and non-Muslim communities in each region, to facilitate early detection of potentially-emerging conflicts.

“We are lacking this kind of information, which could be very useful in preventing conflicts. It will also help the government produce correct policies in accordance with the real situation in the field,” he told The Jakarta Post.

Amrullah said “slow” government responses to interreligious conflicts, such as the recent stabbing of a church leader in Bekasi, West Java, reflected lack of information./thejakaratpost.com